"You don't need to be so nervous, Derek. If my children liked you right off the bat, I know that my parents will love you. Brucie was going to the toughest to win over, and yet he was opening right up by the end of our first family supper. You have this, my love."
Derek shrugged a little before wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her softly. "I know that that went well, but there's still something a little intimidating about meeting your wife's parents, especially since your mother seems to think that we're some sort of meet cute romantic couple."
"No, we're more of the fight until we woke up to what fidelity and bravery truly mean." Erin leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder as he pulled into the parking garage of the airport. "And thank you for agreeing to take my car to pick them up. Your truck doesn't have enough room for everyone and their luggage."
"I would do anything to keep everyone comfortable, Erin." He listened to her sigh a little, and his heart lurched a little in his chest at the sound. She was clearly becoming more comfortable around him, allowing her softest side to show, and that endeared her to him even more. "Now, your kids are going to be at the house when we arrive, yes?"
She nodded as she sat up and stretched a little. "That is the plan, yes. Glenn had to work late, so he'll show up around the time dessert is being served, but everyone else will be there when we arrive. I think that it will be a little easier for you to get to know them when they're around my kids, we'll all be more relaxed."
He nodded as he found a parking spot, pulling in and then turning the vehicle off, turning so that he could look into her face. "And it will give me more time with your family, before Mama and my sisters join us. I'm still not entirely certain that this won't blow up in our faces?"
"I'm keeping faith that everything will turn out for the best. After all, you turned my life around with one simple action. If that's not a minor miracle, I don't know what is." Erin leaned in and pressed a tender kiss to his lips before she exited the car, and Derek grinned before following after her, making certain to lock the car behind him. It didn't take much effort to reach her side, and then he was slipping his arm around her waist, tugging her a little closer to his body as they finished the walk into the terminal.
Erin went to the arrivals board and looked the list over before returning to his side. "Well?"
"Luggage carousel four, and it looks like we have about fifteen minutes to wait until it starts arriving. Let's head over there, and wait for them." He nodded and she smiled as she took hold of his hand, her grip firm and steady as she led him to the right place. There were a few others gathered there, and he nodded at Erin as she took a seat in the closest chair. "I haven't seen them in two years, you know. The Bureau is a job that never sleeps, which is part of what led to my problem, and I just could never justify taking time off to go to Switzerland. Time just moved so quickly, and now…"
"Now you're nervous."
She nodded and rested her head against his hip as they fell into a comfortable silence. It was so easy to be with her, to allow quiet to reign between them, and he never felt so at peace with his own mind. He wondered if she felt the same, as he couldn't help but notice that she was much calmer at home, with him. Unconsciously, he began to run his fingers through her hair, and she leaned into the touches, a pleased sound slipping from her lips.
Somehow, the fifteen minutes passed incredibly quickly, and then the carrousel was starting up. He felt her tense up, and he slipped his hand down to her shoulder, giving it a soft squeeze of encouragement. "Erin!"
The familiar voice of Marlene cut through the noise of the crowd, and Erin rose to her feet as she squared her shoulders. "You can do this, Erin."
"Thanks, Der." She turned and gave him a shaky smile before raising her hand and waving. He had been expecting a tall, willowy, woman to respond to the wave, but Marlene was a good two inches shorter than Erin, though she did have Erin's eyes and hair color. "Momma!"
Erin weaved a little on her feet as the woman careened into her, giving her a tight hug. "It is so good to see you face to face, after so many video calls."
"It is, yes. Where's Daddy?"
"Right here, Princess."
Erin disentangled herself from her mother, taking a step towards her father and allowing him to wrap her in a huge hug. This allowed Marlene to turn her attention on him, and Derek swallowed a little as she pinned her eyes on him. That look was pure Erin, and he knew in that moment where his wife had inherited it from. "So, you're Derek. I was picturing someone a little older, truth be told."
He blushed a little at her scrutiny, and shrugged nervously, his hand reaching up to rub his head as he tried to think of a response. "I've been told that I don't look my age before, ma'am."
Her face relaxed into a smile as she reached out and curled her hand around his elbow. "I told you, call me Marlene. Now, while my daughter reconnects with her father, let's go look for our luggage. I hesitate to tell you, but…we have four bags, besides our carry-ons. Since we haven't been home in a fair few years, we may have gone a little overboard with gifts."
He chuckled as he nodded. "I have the feeling that you would get along swimmingly with one of our colleagues. She also tends to go overboard when it comes to giving gifts. Now, how will I know your luggage?"
"I'll point it out, you can grab it."
He nodded and they turned to watch the luggage trundle past. "So, she's pregnant."
"Yes, ma'am."
Marlene gave him a look, and he shrugged again. It felt more appropriate to address her like that, especially in light of that statement. "Is that why you married so quickly?"
"A little, yes, Marlene. Erin will probably tell you the whole story before you and Dale head home, but…she needed me, and I've come to realise that I need her." He watched Marlene's eyes tear up a little as she nodded. Turning from him, she cleared her throat before hurriedly wiping beneath her eyes.
"There, that's our first bag," Marlene said as a deep purple suitcase began to move past them. He reached out and pulled it off the carousel and set it to one side while they kept watch for the other three. "And there's the second."
He grabbed the second, turning to set it next to the other suitcase in time to see Dale taking the first over to Erin. He smiled at his father in law before handing over the second suitcase as well. "Thanks, Derek."
He nodded before turning back to Marlene, wondering if she had spotted the other two yet. She shook her head a little, stepping closer to the carrousel, and he followed suit, waiting for more luggage to pass. He was the first to spot the next purple case, that matched the first two, and he plucked it off the carrousel, putting it between Marlene and himself while they awaited the last piece of luggage. It came shortly after the third, and then he was hoisting both cases as they went over to Erin and Dale. "Well, now that we have all the luggage, I think that it's time we headed to the car. Do you have the carry ons, Marlene, or do you need me to take one of them, too?"
"I'll be fine with these, Derek." They shared a smile, and then he was leading them outside to the car. It was nice to listen to Erin and Dale chatter back and forth, as he learned in that moment that she was a daddy's girl through and through. "She's always been closer to Dale than to me. Had him wrapped around her pinky before she even left the hospital."
"That was me and my dad. I'm glad she still has him."
Marlene made a soft sound of commiseration in the back of her throat, and Derek welcomed the soft pat of her free hand on his upper arm before they crossed the street and headed up to their parking spot. "Erin, dear, what are our plans for supper? I'm feeling quite puckish."
"The children are preparing our meal, Momma. Well, except for Glenn. He's still at work." Erin sounded exasperated, and he had to swallow his giggle, through that didn't stop Marlene from letting out a little laugh. "Why? Do you want us to stop for something on the way home?"
"Maybe some hot chocolate?"
Derek nodded before Erin could respond, and he felt Erin glare at the back of his head, which did cause him to chuckle as he pulled out the keyfob and pressed the trunk button. Erin sailed past him in order to climb into the passenger seat, and he pursed his lips tightly together so that he wouldn't grin and further upset his wife. "I recognize that behaviour so well," Dale said lowly as they stored the luggage in the trunk, Marlene having joined Erin in the car. "She's pregnant, isn't she?"
"Yes, and that's part of why we married so quickly. Erin will tell you all the details, I just want you to know that I chose to be in her life when others walked out. She deserves the best from the world after the hell that she's been through, and I will do my best to make certain she receives that from me."
Dale gave him a warm smile as he closed the trunk with a firm thud. "You're a good egg."
He laughed as he shrugged. "Or maybe I'm a glutton for punishment, especially when she gets into one of her moods."
Dale clapped his shoulder, the move friendly and accepting, and Derek waited for him to speak before they climbed in the car. "She does have a temper, inherited it from me, before I learned to be mellow. I wish you luck."
Derek nodded firmly as they climbed into the car, and after he fastened his belt, Derek turned the car on and backed out of their spot. It didn't take long to pay for their time in the lot before getting on the road to home, and he glanced over at Erin, seeing that she was rubbing her slight bump absently. Reaching over, he covered her hand with his for a moment, and she looked up at him, tears shimmering in her eyes. "I think that you need something to drink, too, Pretty Lady."
"Maybe," she whispered, and he smiled before pulling his hand back to the wheel again. As he drove, he looked for a coffee shop with a drive thru, the smile never leaving his lips when he found a Dunkin's. He joined the long queue, inching forward until they were finally at the speaker.
"How may I help you this afternoon?" a perky voice asked, and Derek drew in a short breath before answering.
"Could I please have four large hot chocolate, with whipped cream?"
"Of course. And would you like to add any donuts to your order today?"
"Sure, throw four donuts onto the order, your choice."
"Very good, sir." She gave him the total, and he once more inched forward, wondering how long it would take to reach the window. To his surprise, the line moved steadily forward, and soon he was at the window, handing over his credit card before taking the bag of donuts from the young woman's hands and giving it to Erin. "All right, here's your card back. Would you like a carrier for the drinks?"
"Yes, please," he replied, watching the barista nod before she turned back and began to stuff the cups into a cardboard holder. "Thank you," he said as he took the try from her and again handed it to Erin, who set it in her lap. "Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas, sir."
He grinned before pulling forward, rolling up his window as Erin passed around the drinks. He accepted his cup, sipping from it before placing it in the cupholder. "You were right," Erin whispered as he pulled out into traffic, her hands wrapped around her own cup.
"I just had this feeling, after watching JJ get cranky when she was pregnant. Something sweet usually helped her mood to even out." She nodded as she took a small sip of her drink, and then fell quiet, staring out the window. "We have a few minutes to spare, since your luggage arrived so quickly. Did you want to drive around and see the Christmas lights?"
"That would be nice, Derek. It would give us a chance to settle in a little," Marlene replied, and he nodded as he turned onto the next street, knowing that it would lead to a subdivision that he knew was lit up brightly. Erin reached out and gently squeezed his arm before tuning the radio to a station that was playing holiday music, turning the volume to a low, pleasing, volume.
"If I fall asleep, wake me when we get home?"
"Of course, Erin," he murmured quietly, slipping his hand over to rub her upper arm before taking another drink from his cup and returning his concentration back on the road, knowing that this small buffer of time before they returned home would help Erin get back to her normal self, and be able to deal with her children and parents without worrying about snapping at them if they asked a question she took the wrong way. Already, he felt so protective of his wife, and he knew that this love and affection would only grow the further she got into her pregnancy.